Nutrition in cancer disease. How to give a sick person the energy to fight the disease?

Proven content

As many as one in five cancer patients dies not from wasting caused by cancer, but from malnutrition caused by fighting the disease! * Therefore, in cancer patients, diet plays a key role: it is to provide the body with strength to fight the disease, regeneration of tissues damaged by cancer, helps to eliminate the side effects of therapy. When well composed, it prevents the impairment of the immune system.

The material was created in cooperation with Nutramil Complex.

Malnutrition – who is in danger

It is estimated that from 15 to 40% of cancer patients may suffer from protein and energy malnutrition at the time of diagnosis. Depending on the location of the tumor, the number of malnourished patients may increase up to 80% in the advanced stage of the disease. According to experts, malnutrition can lead to neoplastic cachexia, adversely affecting the general condition of the patient and the course of treatment. There is also an increased risk of postoperative complications, increasing the patient’s risk of dying **. The so-called perioperative fasting accompanying surgical procedures can also aggravate the poor nutritional status of the patient.

If the normal diet is not enough or there are difficulties in eating it, it is worth using products such as oral food for special medical purposes Nutramil Complex®. Nutramil can also be dissolved in water by preparing a cocktail meal. This product is available in three flavors – vanilla, strawberry and natural, so you can add it to various meals such as: soups, salads, potatoes, yoghurts.

Why is protein so important?

Proteins are the basic building blocks of all organs of the body. They are necessary to maintain proper metabolism, are responsible for the proper functioning of the body, as well as for the regeneration of damage. They are made of amino acids, endogenous – those produced by the body and exogenous – provided from food. A disturbance in the amount of any of these components may contribute to an impairment of metabolism, which may cause the body to use proteins that make up internal organs. During the disease, cancer cells affect the immune system, stimulating a number of processes in the body, which in turn lead to metabolic disorders or disorders of absorption of substances. Hypermetabolism develops, during which the body reaches for skeletal muscle proteins, which contributes to the destruction of the cancerous organism.

This leads to a decrease in the patient’s immunity, susceptibility to various infections, and negatively affects the course of anti-cancer therapy.

Patient menu – what to pay attention to

When designing the diet of a cancer patient, it is worth remembering a few rules:

1. give up diets, the sick person needs all the nutrients to fight the disease,
2. portions should be small, but often administered 5-7 times a day (every 2-3 hours),
3. it is important that the meal is properly balanced, i.e. it contains the right amount of protein, fats, sugars, minerals and vitamins,
4. avoid monotony in the diet, diversify the menu as much as possible,
5. avoid foods with a very strong smell that could discourage the patient from eating. Ventilate the room where the meal is served,
6. add vegetable fat, fatty milk and its products to the meal,
7. if the patient does not tolerate hot spices – exclude them from the menu,
8. between meals, in addition to water, the patient can be given high-energy drinks, e.g. fruit juices, milk-based cocktails or enriched with oral products, such as food for special medical purposes Nutramil Complex® Protein. When added to a meal, it increases its caloric value, and also provides a large dose of highly digestible protein.

If the patient undergoes radiotherapy, fresh fruit juices, due to the high content of fruit acids, may cause irritation of the mucosa. Remember that juices from beetroot, carrot or other root vegetables are relatively well tolerated;

– whenever possible, prepare the patient’s favorite dishes, enhancing the preferred flavors.

The consistency of the dishes should be such that the patient can eat them without any problems. If a person has trouble swallowing solids and eats them as mush, do not mix them all together. Try to keep your meal looking nice and tasting good. Doctors also recommend limiting salt and animal fat intake.

Sources of protein in the diet of a cancer patient

The body of a patient struggling with cancer especially needs protein. Its demand may double or even triple in relation to the demand of a healthy person. Protein is needed to fight cancer, but also to rebuild damaged tissues, and its deficiencies may adversely affect the entire treatment process, and thus – reduce the chances of winning the fight against the disease.

It is recommended that cancer patients consume 1,5 grams of protein per kg of body weight per day. Foods rich in white are meat, dairy products, eggs and legumes. If the patient shows reluctance to eat this type of food, it is worth reaching for medical nutrition products, such as Nutramil Complex®Protein, which contains as much as 18,8 g of protein per serving. These types of products can be used as an independent meal, in the form of a cocktail. They can also be added to traditional meals – milk desserts, soups, sauces or pastes – increasing their energy value and protein content.

It is worth remembering that monotony does not creep into the patient’s menu. High-protein dishes quickly give you a feeling of fullness, so it is worth paying attention to “smuggle” the protein in each meal.

Excellent sources of protein are:

1. chicken and quail eggs,
2. lean meat (white and red),
3. fish,
4. milk,
5. cheeses,
6. groats,
7. legumes,
8. tofu.

Even a low-protein meal should be enriched with a portion of protein by adding, for example, Nutramil Cmoplex Protein®. It is important that, even in a small portion of a meal, the patient receives as much energy and protein as possible.

Nutrition important before and after surgery

The proper nutritional status of the patient before the surgery affects the patient’s well-being, but also the proper course of convalescence after the surgery.

A properly composed diet will give the patient the energy to fight the disease, help protect the body against wasting, which is often the cause of death in cancer patients.

The diet of patients before surgery should provide them with an adequate amount of protein, fats, carbohydrates, electrolytes, trace elements and vitamins. Protein plays a special role in this period as it increases the immunity of the patient ***, but also accelerates regeneration and has a positive effect on the wound healing process ****.

In accordance with the applicable ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) guidelines, preparing the patient for surgery:

1. the aim is to minimize the fasting time both before and after surgery;
2. one of the elements of the ERAS-based protocol is the oral administration of a high-carbohydrate drink 2-3 hours before surgery;
3. according to the guidelines of domestic and foreign anesthesia societies, this procedure is completely safe and does not increase the risk of developing complications related to general anesthesia.

Benefits of serving a high-carbohydrate drink, e.g. Nutramil Complex®:

1. reduces the feeling of dry mouth;
2. helps to maintain the original muscle strength;
3. influences faster return of intestinal peristalsis;

Prolonged and adequately unbalanced starvation of the patient causes protein-caloric malnutrition to develop extremely quickly, in proportion to the severity of the disease process. At the same time, there is a weakening of cellular immunity, anemia, disturbances in intestinal peristalsis, which is associated with disorders of digestion and food absorption. If the losses are not compensated in time, the progressive deterioration of the organism worsens, even leading to the patient’s death.

It is important to dispel any nutritional doubts with the help of a dietitian or doctor. The specialist will help you choose the right nutrients or products, if for some reason the patient has problems with eating.

Źródła:

* Nutr. J. 2015:14:123

** Stasik Z., Skotnicki P., Jakubowicz J., Brandys K., Kanty-Kulpa J., Biochemical indicators of malnutrition in cancer patients, Journal of Laboratory Diagnostics, 2009, vol. 45, no. 1, 91-85

*** Crit Care Med., 1990 Feb: 18 (2Suppl):S86-93.

**** Br. J. Nurs., 2001, MarŁ10) 6 Suppl = Ł S42., P44 + 9

The material was created in cooperation with Nutramil Complex.